Activism

Probate Advocates State Grand Jury Report Did Not Adequately Investigate Abuse by Court Officials

Published

4 years ago

August 29, 2022

Gentrification areas in New York City, Washington DC, Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley have demonstrated a recognized problem with predatory attorneys gaining control of real estate at steep discounts via conservatorships.

By Tanya Dennis

On June 6th, the Alameda County Grand Jury released a report regarding deficiencies of probate Court including recommendations to correct deficiencies. Probate advocates are expressing disappointment that the report did not address the rampant abuse perpetrated by some court appointed guardians and officials, a well-documented occurrence not just locally, but nationally.

Spectrum Institute Attorney Tom Coleman says the reason is, “Attorneys are reluctant to investigate their own.” Spectrum Institute has been elevating evidence of probate court mismanagement and fraud over the last five years. The issues highlighted in the Grand Jury Report mirror Los Angeles Times’s investigative reports in 1987 and 2006 that reported those who exploit court dysfunction have only mastered their nefarious intent over the last 35 years. Each time issues are elevated, and nothing is done to correct them, the criminally intent are emboldened, and probate has been perverted to serve the predatory legal community at the expense of the public, often a completely misinformed and unsuspecting public.

Rick Black of CEAR, and producer of the expose documentary “The Guardians” says, “Conservatorship is always an expensive and risky proposition. It should be avoided at all costs. CEAR recognizes anyone can be targeted and exploited by it. Black or white, famous, or unknown, rich or penniless, intellectual or not, anyone can be exploited by this system. Victims of fraudulent adult conservatorships are left voiceless. Their loved ones and heirs are also victimized as the courts dismiss their pleas and material evidence.” CEAR has counseled or investigated over 5,000 cases of suspected fraudulent conservatorship.

Probate Advocates and the Post “Perils of Probate” stories have for years recognized that the minority population is disproportionately targeted by court insiders. The Black female senior community presents a recognized vulnerability. Black families have a history of maintaining homesteads via generational transfers. Properties purchased generations ago are most susceptible to interception by predatory parties in conservatorship. Gentrification areas in New York City, Washington DC, Detroit, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley have demonstrated a recognized problem with predatory attorneys gaining control of real estate at steep discounts via conservatorships.

Probate reform advocates Shout Out Justice, the Probate Movement Reform Group, Center of Administration Reform (CEAR), and the Coalition for Elder and Disability Rights (CEDAR), spoke directly with DA O’Malley on the issues in 2018 and 2019. She knew the problem was court dysfunction and the ability for benefitting parties to commit constructive fraud in proceedings that facilitated downstream exploitation, theft, embezzlement, and extortion. O’Malley’s response was she was not aware of any accusations of “probate court staff” directly benefitting from the frauds.

Black cites that despite O’Malley’s claim that “There were mountains of claims against benefitting attorneys and conservators, all protected by the sponsoring probate jurist. It was also quite clear after several discussions with DA O’Malley that she had no interest in prosecuting fellow attorneys fully endorsed by District Court judges serving Probate.”

Venus Gist of California Probate Reform Network says, “We all know gentrification is real,” even Mayor Schaaf in a meeting with United Seniors Of Alameda County said that she believes the probate court is causing much of the homeless issues. Alameda County Probate Court robs families of generational wealth. My mother’s former temporary conservator attempted to sell my parent’s six figure rental property for $17,000 to collect their court fees. They never cared enough to talk with us or give my family payment options.”

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Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

Published

3 days ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.